The present invention relates generally to articles of footwear and, more particularly, to footwear used by the military, law enforcement, or other personnel that confront a wide range of environments and circumstances. For ease of the reader, all the foregoing are collectively termed “military” hereafter. Of course, the footwear of the present invention is not limited to utilitarian functions but can be used in any footwear setting including, for example, routine footwear environments such as everyday footwear or fashion.
Military personnel require footwear that can provide increased protection and mobility in demanding environments, often while bearing heavy loads. These individuals spend a large amount of time standing or moving through all types of terrain all around the world and require footwear that can protect, support and assist them in traversing such terrain.
The primary function of footwear used by military personnel is to protect the wearer. For example, military personnel must be protected from rough terrain, snake bites, broken glass or shrapnel, and sharp objects such as knives.
A typical way to achieve this protection in past has been utilizing a leather upper and thick rubber outsole. These characteristics provide a small degree of protection to the wearer but also cause the footwear to become very heavy and restrictive. This increased weight contributes to wearer fatigue, especially over long periods of use. Because military personnel typically wear their boots for an entire day or more, heavy boots present a serious drawback for the wearer as they reduce his or her operational readiness.
In addition, conventional military boots fail to provide sufficient ventilation and drainage for the user's feet. This causes the user to become uncomfortable in hot or wet climates because the wearer's feet become very hot and the lack of ventilation does not allow moisture to escape the boot. This results in problems such as blisters, rashes, and infections.
Many military specialties have needs that go beyond conventional military units. For example, while convention military units use overwhelming numbers and firepower to vanquish battlefield opponents, special operators relay on stealth, surprise, speed and good intelligence. Special Forces operators are trained to perform extremely difficult, complex and/or politically sensitive missions on short notice, in peace and war time, anywhere in the world. Special Forces include land, air and maritime forces that can be employed as joint or single service units.
The strategic purpose behind Special Forces is threefold. First, they offer a range of options to decision makers confronting crisis and conflicts below the threshold of war, such as terrorism, insurgency and sabotage. Second, they are force multipliers for major conflicts, increasing the effectiveness & efficiency of the military effort. Third, they are forces of choice in situations requiring regional orientation, cultural and political sensitivity, including military-to-military contacts and noncombatant missions like humanitarian assistance, security assistance and peacekeeping operations.
Examples of U.S. Special Forces include the Army's Rangers, Green Berets, Delta Force, and 10th Mountain Division, as well as Air Force Commandos, Navy Seals and the Marine Corps' Force Recon. Army Rangers are light-infantry forces that are primarily utilized in long range reconnaissance, intelligence gathering and long range patrolling. Green Berets are reconnaissance soldiers known for tactical and diplomatic skills, who are often utilized for liaison and training with friendly governments involved in counter insurgency operations, or as liaison and training advisors to members of insurgency forces. Delta Force may be utilized for missions requiring rapid response with surgical applications of a wide variety of unique skills, while maintaining a very low profile of U.S. involvement in, for example, hostage rescue, and special counter terrorism actions. Delta Force is well known as having some of the best marksmen in world. The 10th Mountain Division specializes in mountain and artic warfare, and provides mountaineering skills with a combat dimension. Air Force Commandos may operate as air traffic combat controllers and pararescue jumpers as well as ground operators. Navy Seals are highly trained and work in sea, air and land environments. Navy Seals are masters of maritime operations, which include assault, combat diving and reconnaissance, and are fully capable of striking by sea and return by sea. Force Recon training is among the most intense and longest in the military, and these soldiers are trained to excel at many of the tasks that other Specials Forces units perform.
All of these Special Forces units require highly specialized training, equipment and gear to perform dangerous and sensitive missions as trained and expected. Such units operate in all types of environments such as air, sea, and land, which may include desert, mountain, jungle and urban settings. Specialized footwear capable of meeting the operational and environmental considerations of these environments is an important element of the required gear for units operating in such conditions.
Thus, there is a need for footwear which protects the wearer from various environments and hazards while providing a product appropriate for various terrains and activities. There is also a need for footwear adapted to meet the rigorous demands of Special Forces and other units that operate using stealth, surprise, and speed. In addition, many activities and conditions require military personnel to operate while on the hands, feet, knees, back and/or stomach. It is highly desirable for military-type footwear to provide traction, support and comfort when in any of these positions.
The present invention addresses these and other needs. The present invention provides an ideal military boot through combinations and juxtapositions of various features and characteristics as will be described herein.